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The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health congratulates Professor Saw Seang Mei for having been named an ARVO Gold Fellow in the Class of 2015 by The Association for Research in Vision and Opthalmology (ARVO). The ARVO Fellows recognises current ARVO members for their individual accomplishments, leadership and contributions to the Association. ARVO Fellows will serve as role models and mentors for individuals pursuing careers in vision and opthalmology research. We, at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, extend our heartiest congratulations to Prof Saw on thisRead more

More time spent outdoors can help prevent the onset of myopia in children, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. Under the study, 285 children between the ages of six and 12 were placed under an “intervention group” and a “control” group, with the “intervention” group of children and their parents receiving a programme on good eye habits. Under the “intervention” group, researchers also encouraged parents to bring their children outdoors for two to three hours every week, and equipped the

Elderly individuals who have experienced a significant weight loss have a higher risk of hip fracture, according to a study conducted by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. The study was conducted using data from the Singapore Chinese Health Study and found that for middle-aged to elderly individuals, a weight loss of more than 10% was associated with a 56% higher hip fracture risk as compared to adults with a stable weight. When accounting for factors such as health conditions and Body Mass Index (BMI), it was found

From SARS to the Nipah virus, Southeast Asia as a region has experienced its fair share of infectious disease outbreaks. Furthermore, the recent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak where secondary transmission has occurred within health facilities has exposed the weaknesses within international health responses on a global scale. Professor Richard Coker, Dr Mishal Khan and Dr Andrew Lover from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health have proposed a new framework to assess the risk of an EVD outbreak recurring within a country, which will act as a guide on how

Held on 10 – 12 September 2014 in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, the recent Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2014 saw the School’s Dean, Prof Chia Kee Seng and Vice Dean of Research, A/Prof Teo Yik Ying presenting on the topics of The E-health Concierge and Emerging Epidemics respectively. The convention, organised by the World Economic Forum, brought together leaders from major multinationals, governments, media, academia and civil society around the world to share how innovations can improve and add value to our societies, communities and organisations. Prof Chia spoke on how customised technology can be

Singaporeans have poor knowledge and awareness of stroke, according to a recent study on stroke literacy, which found that less than 50 percent of Singaporeans could correctly identify one stroke symptom. This is significant as certain treatments, such as thrombolysis, have to be carried out within a few hours of the onset of symptoms, and patients who seek treatment at the hospital at a later stage may not be able to receive the best rescue therapy treatments and prevent complications. Unlike heart attack patients who seek help immediately, stroke patients

Prof Ong Choon Nam, a toxicology expert at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) addressed the recent health scare over lead levels contained in a popular Chinese medicine. Though the United States and European Union tend to have stricter standards with regards to the lead levels in food and health supplements, Prof Ong clarified that this does not mean Singapore’s standards are unsafe. And as the science is evolving very rapidly, he highlighted the need for all countries to review their standards from time to

A research study, led by Associate Professor Koh Woon Puay and in collaboration with Dr Pan An, concluded that inhaling smoke from burning incense daily for 20 years or more increases a person’s risk of dying from heart disease by 12 per cent. Indoor incense burning is widespread throughout Singapore and A/Prof Koh said, “studies on emissions from burning of incense have identified volatile organic compounds and particulate matter similar to those found in cigarette smoke and traffic emissions.” However, this research study is not intended to discourage incense burning, which is often linked

The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health congratulates Prof Saw Seang Mei, our SSHSPH alumna, Dr Pwint Mar Khin (MSc Class of 2011), as well as A/Prof Lee Yung Seng and Dr Wong Teck Yee from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, on winning the Annals Best Publication Award 2013! Every year, the Annals Editorial Board of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, shortlists the best papers published within the previous year and votes for the top 3 papers based on clinical impact, study design and research methodologies,

The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health congratulates Prof Saw Seang Mei, Dr Pan Chenwei and Dr Dharani Ramamurthy on receiving the Bernard Gilmartin OPO Award! Presented by the College of Optometrists, the Bernard Gilmartin OPO Award honours the most highly regarded paper published in Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics during the last 5 years. The research team, led by Prof Saw Seang Mei, published the paper ‘Worldwide prevalence and risk factors for myopia’ which summarises the worldwide patterns and trends for the prevalence of myopia and to evaluate the risk factors for myopia